French appeals court revisits shocking Gisele Pelicot rape case

Less than a year after the landmark verdict in a drugging and rape trial that shook France last year and turned Gisele Pelicot into a global figure, an appeals court is set to hear the case of a man challenging his conviction.

Husamettin Dogan, sentenced to nine years in prison last December, denies he intended to rape Ms Pelicot.

He argues that he was deceived by Dominique Pelicot, Ms Pelicot’s ex-husband, who drugged his wife and offered her to strangers online before filming the assaults.

The 44-year-old construction worker goes on trial in Nimes, southern France, on charges of aggravated rape by administering substances that impair judgment or self-control, an offence carrying up to 20 years in prison.

He remains free pending the verdict.

Prosecutors had sought 12 years at his first trial, but the court imposed nine.

In the original proceedings, Ms Pelicot’s ex-husband and 50 other men were convicted of sexually assaulting her between 2011 and 2020 while she was under chemical submission.

Dominique Pelicot was sentenced to 20 years in prison, while sentences for other defendants ranged from three to 15 years’ imprisonment.

The trial drew international attention after Gisele Pelicot opposed a closed hearing, a demand made by several defendants.

The court sided with her.

The evidence included stomach-churning homemade videos of the abuse that Dominique Pelicot filmed in the couple’s home in the small Provence town of Mazan and elsewhere.

“I have nothing to be ashamed of. Shame must change sides,” she said on the trial’s opening day.

After the verdict, Ms Pelicot declared she had “never regretted that decision” and thanked supporters who gave her the “strength” to return to court each day.

She has since become a symbol of the fight against sexual violence and the shocking case spurred a national reckoning over rape culture in France.

Dominique Pelicot admitted his role and did not appeal against his 20-year prison sentence, now final.

He is expected to give evidence during the appeals hearing after being implicated by the remaining defendant.

Of the 51 convicted men, 17 initially filed appeals.

Most of those were withdrawn and only Dogan pursued his appeal.

While last year’s trial stretched over four months, the retrial is scheduled to last no more than four days, with a verdict expected on Thursday.

Civil proceedings in Avignon are due in November to settle damages owed to the main victim and her family, to be paid jointly by the convicted men.